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August 01, 2023

Annual 2023: Canadian, Mexican and U.S. lawyers to converge in Denver

Lawyers from Canada, Mexico and the United States will come together Aug. 5 in Denver to discuss shared concerns about the environment, immigration, labor and employment during the third American Bar Association Summit of the Americas.

In previous summits, lawyers from the three countries worked on a framework for addressing issues that cross national borders. This year, the summit – part of the ABA Annual Meeting – will feature three programs throughout the day, plus a lunch with keynote speaker Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel, MALDEF

In addition, presidents of the ABA and the Canadian Bar Association, plus the president-elect of the Mexican Bar Association, will address the summit.

The summit is sponsored by the ABA Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights & Responsibilities. Each program will feature a panel of experts on a different topic:

  • Environment (9:45 a.m.) – Exploring Cross-Border Environmental Legal Issues in the United States, Mexico and Canada

Experts from the three countries will discuss important climate actions taken by their nations, take stock of their effectiveness and anticipate future actions. The conversation will include legal topics related to energy, transportation, infrastructure, private sector investment, green jobs, indigenous rights and environmental justice.

Moderator: Ignacia Moreno – Chief executive officer with The iMoreno Group PLC in Washington, D.C.

Panelists:

Mariana Herrero – Partner with Galicia in Mexico City

Jonathan Kahn – Partner with Blake, Cassels & Graydon in Toronto

Fred Pfaeffle – Senior counsel with the U.S. Department of Energy

Jeff Prieto – General counsel with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Carlos Evans – Director of the Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability with the City of Dallas 

  • Labor and Employment (12:30 p.m.) – A Survey of Labor and Employment Laws Across North America

Panelists will survey labor and employment laws and practical approaches for effectively managing human capital across North America, examining the legal intersections and distinctions among the laws of the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Moderator: José Jara – Counsel with Fox Rothschild LLP in Morristown, New Jersey

Panelists:

Rafael Vallejo – Partner with Von Wobeser y Sierra in Mexico City

Marian Zapata-Rossa – Partner with Snell & Wilmer LLP in Phoenix

Rose Massicotte – Senior associate with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in Montreal

  • Immigration (2:15 p.m.) – The Response to the Displacement of Peoples in the United States, Mexico and Canada: A Look into Immigration and Asylum in North America 

In 2022, 108 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced by persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and other events. The United States, Mexico and Canada have taken different approaches to dealing with displaced people. Panelists will discuss their country's laws and policies.

Moderator: Rodolfo S. Monterrosa Jr. – Founding attorney with Monterrosa Law Group LLC in South Bend, Indiana

Panelists:

Rodrigo Garcia – Senior business immigration manager with Fragoman in Mexico City

Sergio R. Karas – Immigration lawyer with Karas Immigration Law in Toronto

Registration and check-in for the Summit of the Americas will begin at 8:30 a.m., with opening remarks at 9 a.m. Programs, each 90 minutes, will be held at 9:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Lunch will be at 11:30 a.m.

For more information on the ABA Annual Meeting in Denver and to register, visit the website here.